Daily Dothttp://www.dailydot.com/Daily Dot Articleen-usThu, 19 Jan 2012 16:44:26 +0000Judging the success of SOPA protests—by the numbershttp://www.dailydot.com/politics/sopa-protest-results/<p><img src='//cdn0.dailydot.com/cache/7c/39/7c393fac1cbeed9225886e1b8ba3b6e4.jpg'></p><p>
By most measures, the great Internet blackout of 2012 on Wednesday was a success.</p>
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At last count, 18 senators have withdrawn their support from the <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/news/what-is-sopa-what-is-pipa-dns-regulation/">Protect IP Act</a> (PIPA), seven of which were former cosponsors, <a href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/pipa-support-collapses-with-13-new-opponents-in-senate.ars">reported</a> ars technica. Meanwhile, 25 senators announced their opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), according to <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2012/01/19/25-senators-oppose-pipa/">VentureBeat</a>, though House Committee Chairman Lamar Smith <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/politics/lamar-smith-sopa-wikipedia-response/">pledged</a> to move forward with the measure in February.</p>
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Sen. Marco Rubio, a once outspoken PIPA cosponsor, <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/politics/pipa-marco-rubio-withdraws-support/">withdrew</a> his support in a message on Facebook where he encouraged politicians to listen to their constituents and to not &ldquo;<a href="http://www.dailydot.com/politics/pipa-marco-rubio-withdraws-support/">rush the bill to the floor</a>.&rdquo;</p>
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While Web giants like Reddit, Craigslist, and Wikipedia went black in opposition to the PIPA and SOPA, <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/jimmy_wales/status/159921537376468992">8 million Americans</a> looked up congressional phone numbers online, <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/twitter/status/159796576569655296">2.4 million people tweeted SOPA/PIPA</a>-related terms, and more than <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/jimmy_wales/status/159921537376468992">162 million people worldwide</a> visited Wikipedia&rsquo;s blackout out page urging users to contact their representatives.</p>
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Google used the opportunity to launch a petition against both of the controversial bills. The virtual document was signed by 4.5 million people, the <em>LA Times</em> <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/google-anti-sopa-petition.html">reported</a>.&nbsp;</p>
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Perhaps the most significant accomplishment from the protests though, is that people and publications are continuing to take action and debate the issue.&nbsp;</p>
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Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/456165094/sizes/o/in/photostream/">wallyg</a>; remix by Fernando Alfonso III</p>
fernando@dailydot.com (Fernando Alfonso III)Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:44:26 +0000http://www.dailydot.com/politics/sopa-protest-results/PoliticsNews